Grading-machine.



PATENTBD DEG. 4, 1906.,

R. V( SUTHERLAND.` GRADING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.30.1906.

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TED STATES .PATENT oEEro/E.

ROBERT V. SUTHERLAND, O`F SWEA- TOWNSHIP., KOSSUTH COUNTY, IOWA.

GRADlNG-MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.4, 1906.

Application tiled August S0. 1906. aerial No. 332,589.

Be it known that I, ROBERT V. SUTHER- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing in the'townshi of Swea, in the county of Kossuth and tate of Iowa, have invented certain new vand useful Improvements in Grading-Machines, of which the following is a specification. My invention` relates to grading-machines; and its object is to provide such a machine that will be simple and economical in construction and easy and effective in operation.

My invention is embodied in the followingdescribed mechanism, and is more particulai-ly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which: form a part of this specification, and in which like parts are designated by the same reference characters inall the views, Figure 1 is a side view of a grading-machine embodying my invention. `=Fig. 2 is a detail sectional ort of the gradin mechanism on line 2 oV ig. 1, showing t e consection, with connections therewith, &c. Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view on line 3 of Fig. 1, showing a part of the support of the levers which operate the conveyer-hood andadjacent parts. Fig. 4 is a :detail plan and sectional view of the same on line 4 'of Fig. 3 and-Fig. 5 is a plan view of the grading mechanism, illustrating its conveyer-hood, &c.

A suitable vehicle body or frame A, traveling on wheels B, carries the grading mechanism. This comprises a spirally-formed earth-conveyer C, rotated on its-axis or shaft D, journaled at E and F on the supporting memberG, which is carried at its forward end by the shaft H, adapted to turn in a bearing I and havi -a hinge-joint K, the direction of dinal to the frame A. Suitable means for raising and lowering this shaft I-I are provided, referably the rack L, in which engages t e segmental rackM, o erated by the lever-handle N, having a paw w and pawlrack zzz.

The su porting member G is provided with abar Ofiby which the grading mechanism is carried toward its rear end by the shaft P, having aright-angled arm Q, rovided with a slot R, sufliciently elongate that the bar O` may travel therein to accommodate the forward and backward swingA of the arm Q. This shaft P may be turned in its bearing S by the lever-handle 4T, (having suitable pawl y and plawl-rack 2,) whose operation is to throw t e rear end of the gra mechanism in or out from the lon 'tudina line/of the frame A. The shaft P, eing splined at u to the pawl-rack z, may be raised and lowered pawl V and awl-rack W.

by suitable means, as b its s rocket-wheel X, operated by the chain Y, iven by any means, as by a suitable gasolene or other motor Z, having its driving sprocket-wheel a. To maintainthe chain tight in all positions of the grading mechanism, a binding-wheel b, turning on the spring-pressed lever-arm ogs provided. p

On the inner side of the grading `mechanism a suitable conveyer-hood is provided to retain or confine the earth subject to the action of the "spiral conveyer. This hood'is the earth may escape when esired from the conveyers action and to that end is preferably pivoted on the rod d, carried bythe supporting member G. This hood is also preferably formed in a suitable number of sections e e e e (four in the construction shown) each pivoted as aforesaid, so that the rear one or more sections may be operated as stated to allow the escape of the earth. This hood and the sections thereof are operated to allow the escape of the earth preferably by the lever-handles f f f f, one for each section, (each having a pawl t and pawl-rack u,) and their connecting-rods g g g g, operating on the hood-sections by suitable pivotal connections h h h h. These lever-handles fhave their fulcrums on a support i, which, to adapt it to the varying positions of the grading mechanism, is supported at its lower end by a pivotalconnection to the rod j, carried by the supporting membernG, and at its upper end is retained in sliding engagement 1n a slot 7c in the member l, plvoted at the side of the `frame A. A

My grading-machine is operated inthe following manner: As the entire machine is drawn over the ground to be graded and the motor Z rotates the spiralconveyer, the several sections of the hood being closed downl The spira y-formed conveyor C is rotatedJ `by' means of the lever-handle U, having a i preferably arranged to be operated so that roo IIO

distributed nearer to orfarther'from the lone E gitudinal line of the frame A, and by operating the levers fthe sections of the hood as desired may be raised and the earth suffered to escape nearer to such longitudinal line. .A

N ot confining myself to the details of construction shown, I claim- 1. In a gradinganachine, a rotatable spira1` conveyerand'a conveyer-'hood onthe in'nerside thereof to corntn'e the' eart'lr'subj'eot to the'aotion `of The conveyeri A In a'grading-mach'ine, a'rota-*table spiral conveyer' and an' adjustable conveyerhfood on the inner sidevl of the''e'onveyer to confine the earth subject to the conveyers actionv and ito releaseiit therefrom as desired.

3.- In 'a 'grading-machine, arotatable' spiral ctmyeyer' and conveyor-hood 'formed inf-adi just: abl' sections,- on the'innerside' of 'the con'` veyerj, to comin-'e the earth subjectto the'c'owr-i veye1"s` action' 'and to release ittherefrom as desired.'

4.' In a' gradili'gimachine; a vehicle-frame, a grading mechanism comprising a rotatable spira-'l conveyer-anfdia conveyerlho'od formed in adjustable sections,` or! the inner'sideof the conveyer, to 'confine the' earth' subjectto the c'onveyersA action'and to release it therefrom'A as desired, means for adjusting the conveyor'- hood, and a" support-1 for'l 'such means pi'vovtdl on the' grading mechanism and retained by a member pivoted' to the ve'hiole-"fratriel and; having a slot Within' Wlfich said!'supportmayA move.

5. In agrading-machine, @vehicle-frame; a `grading n'iechanism xcompri'sin',gg 'arothtableil spiral `con'veyer and "a c'onVeyer-hood formed in' adjustable sections, on the inner' side' of tle conveyer, to conn'e the earth subject to' the c'onveyers action and t'o release itftherefrom as' desired, means for lowering 'and rais# in'g the' gradingr mechanism, means forr adl' lease the earth, a support for suchL means= pivoted on the gradingrrr'echanisfn'andre- 6. In' a gra-dingLmachine, a'vefliele-frame; a rotatable spiral conveyefr, a shaft supporti g to the vehicle-frame and having an arm supporting; the otherendv of the convveyer tov con- I trol the angle of the conveyer with the line of 7 In a grading-machine, a vehicle-frame, a rotatable spiral conveyer, a oonveyer-hood on th'e inne'rside thereof to eonne the earth subject to the conveyers action, a shaft suptherefr'om' asdesired, ashatistrpportirrg end-lof' the con'veyerrompi-voted; onethemed Mele-frame, and 'aseeon'd 'shaft pifvoted 'orf the vehticlevrame and .having xan k'arm supporting' hiere; ameand :Having aa arm suppertingthe otherfendfof'theoouveyer' tocontrol the-am gle-otle'conveyer Withthe line oflitlieuria Gh'nes'travel, meanslfor 'adjusting-'the oon ec-forrtlniez gradigmeehamsm and'retained -a slot Ycarried by the w/'efhicl@zafra-nine,- and rrie'arrsfol" raisingand'llowe'rifgthe'twb shafts which supporti the' -e onveyer.

`tviro subseribmg witnesses:

RoBERr V; .s'UrHERLANn-:l Witnesses.:-

fl. W: Douemir, KNGWLES.

irame tottiis speeieationin the'presenofr the machines travel.

porting one end of the conveyer andpiyoted ject'to 4the conveyers action la/'nd' Ato'r'elealse! -itf 7ev the other end ofthe oonveyerItd-'controlthe' 75'- form'ed in adjustable sections,.on-thier-innerr 8o- 

